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Wandering through Parisian streets, savoring croissants in quaint cafes and immersing in its rich history create unforgettable experiences. But for some, these experiences are unforgettable for an entirely different reason.

Traveling is exciting, but sometimes, culture shock makes it a little bit challenging. This happens when being in a new place creates a shock, partly because it is unexpectedly different and can lead to a negative evaluation of one's own culture. Because a person feels like they have to adjust tremendously, they experience anxiety and confusion in the new place. Both children and adults can experience this issue, and it can cause psychological distress, coupled with some intellectual, emotional, behavioral and physical negative effects.

Culture shock, sometimes called cross-cultural adjustment, sounds like a terrible thing to go through. Unfortunately, things could get even worse. Paris syndrome, which takes its name from the world-famous city in France, is a condition when extreme culture shock results in nausea, vomiting, hallucination and an increased heart rate. While it is not an officially diagnosable mental health disorder, experts recognize it as a real phenomenon.

Where you come from matters

Paris syndrome is common in Japanese travelers. A study from 2004 found that this is likely due to exhaustion, jet lag and overworking during business trips. 

However, experts say that where a person comes from and their travel destination matters. In one study, researchers said that every culture may have appointed destinations where they may experience symptoms similar to those of Paris syndrome. For example, westerners are likely to experience the Florence syndrome, the India syndrome, or the island syndrome.